Leggin



'I ""iNirEn Sterns nrEN'r- DEEIC.

JoHN H. HowAErH, JE., 0E NEw HAVEN, CONNECTICUT. i

LEGGIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 292,819, dated February 5, 1884.

Application lcd September 24, 1883. (No model.)

Figure 1, a side view of the leggin as ap-A plied to the leg; Fig. 2, a side view of the leggin removed, Fig. 3, the spring detached, th

last two gures enlarged.

This invention relates to an improvement in leggins which are made open at one side and provided with devices for securing the two edges together. In previous constructions the two edges have been provided sometimes with buttons and button holes, sometimes with buckles and straps, and sometimes with lacings. In securing the leggin upon the leg considerable annoyance is experienced from the fact that, owing to theiiexibility of the material of which the leggins are made, the upper part falls down around the ankle and interferes with securing. i This is particularly the case where the securing device is a lacing arranged to engage lacing studs or hooks on the two parts. The person applying them is obliged to hold the upper part of the leggin while-the lower part is being laced, as the lacing must necessarily commence at the bottom.

The obj ect of my invention is to overcome this difficulty; and it consists in providing the upper part of the leggin with a spring encircling that portion, and so as to embrace the leg and hold the top of the leggin fast around the leg of the wearer, and so that the whole line of studs will be readily exposed for lacing and without interference from the upper part of the leggin, and as more fully hereinafter described, and particularly recited in the claims.

The cut of the material to form the leggin A is the same as in the usual construction. Around the upper end of the leggin I introduce a spring, B. This spring is best made, as seen in Fig. 3, of ring shape divided, the diameter of the ring being-somewhat smaller than the calf of thev leg, and so as to require some little expansion to embracethe leg. Y The two ends of the ring are turned downward to form verticalstays or springs C D. This spring is best made from steel wire bent to this required shape. The spring is introduced between the two thicknesses of the leggin, the

ring being at the top, the two stays D C extending down in each edge of the leggin, as

indicated in broken lines, Fig..2. The stays D C of the spring serve to stiften the upper portion, and so that the lacing-studs a need only extend up nearly to the ends of the stays C D of the spring, as seen in Figs. I and 2. The lacing and lacing-studsare applied in the usual manner for applying such fastenings to Aleggins and like articles.

In placing the leggin on the leg the upper part is drawn o n to about the required position and the spring permitted to contract to embrace the leg, and thus support the legginleaving the edges below exposed and without' any liability of the upper part falling down to interfere with lacing up. l A

Vhile the stays D Cd avoid the necessity of extending the lacing-studs to the top of the leggin, the studs may be so arranged, if desired; but in case the lacing is desired to the extreme top of the leggin, the stays D C may be dispensed with and simply the divided ringshaped spring introduced.

The ring'shaped spring, with the stays D C, may be made as an article vof manufacture and sold to the trade to be introduced in the process of manufacturing the leggin.

Byemploying the divided spring at the upper end of the leggin, as described, the same leggin may iit various-sized legs, so that aless number of sizes may be kept in stock bythe dealer.

I am aware thatleggins have been construct* ed with divided rings, one introduced at the upper end, the other down upon the leg, and the two connected by rods; but such construction I do not claim, the essential feature of my invention being a single divided ring at the top, having its two ends turned downward to form vertical stays or springs within the leggin, the extreme ends of said stays or springs unconnected.

I claim- I; The herein-described spring for leggins, consisting of the divided ring-shaped spring B, with the stays D C, extending, respectiveconnected except by the material of the leggin 1o ly, from the ends of the spring', the ends of itself, conibinedwithlacing devices on thetwo said stays free or disconnected, substantially sides extendingT from the bottom upward to as described. near the ends of thc stays, substantially as de- .2. A leggin open at the side, having a discribed. vided ring-shaped spring, B, introduced at its i J. H. HOVARTH, J R.

upper end, and with stays D C, extending from Vitiicsscs:

the respective ends of the spring down the JOHN E. EARLE,

edges of the leggin, the ends of said stays dis- I Jos. C. EARLE. 

